There are so many threads that demonize carbs with regards to WLS post op diet. Carbs are not evil.

There are two different types of carbs: the "good carbs" and the "bad" carbs. Good carbs are those that are of lower glycemic index and have a high Fiber content. Bad carbs are those that are mostly sugars. Some good carbs are fibrous fruits (apple, green banana, etc), steel oats, fibrous veggies (brocolli) and fiber Cereal. Some bad carbs we are all familiar with: candy, ice cream, donuts, etc.

The fiber that is a part of good carbs help regulate fat oxidation (good bacteria in the stomach produce enzymes which break down fat to be used as energy) and the digestion process (fixes "lazy bowel" syndrome, constipation, etc).

Finally good carbs are a direct source of energy for exercise (it is said low carbs may lead to 30% reduction in endurance energy during a training session), daily activities and neurological firing. Low carb diets almost always lead to brain fog, tiredness, etc.

So before discounting carbs, consider all the benefits that come with including them as part of a balanced post op diet. A good balance is 50% Protein, 30% carbs and 20% fat. MFP works wonders for being able to track and target the daily carb goals.

Edited June 16, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

Then there are the in betweeners and I think this is where it gets sticky. Whole grain bread is good for you... healthy carbs except for some of us that type of food triggers cravings and hunger and over eating. Simply having bread (even whole grain, high fiber) in the house is a challenge for me - one that is going to rear it's head again when my son moves back home as he needs all that kind of food.

I don't count carbs, but i focus on Protein, veggies and berries and selected fruits. I do sometimes have Protein Bars, a glass of wine etc so I don't want to sound like i am really strict because I am not - but on a daily basis, I try to focus on basic food and limit most types of carbs.

The reality of the situation is that post menopausal women such as me just don't get to eat much to maintain a normal BMI. This is why most are overweight at this age. It is also a reality that some of us are more sensitive to carbs than others. I don't think I could have gotten to goal without carb restriction frankly so while I agree with your basic premise (carbs are not evil) I do think that not all of us have the same experience either.

I do not get brain fog but I am starting to speculate on the possible impact on mood issues... that eating low carb can make you more prone to feeling kinda down. I am doing research....

This is my theory. If you are getting your Protein goal and keeping to your calorie limit, you really do not have to worry that much about the carbs. It balances itself out.

This is my theory. If you are getting your Protein goal and keeping to your calorie limit, you really do not have to worry that much about the carbs. It balances itself out.

I found that to be true with the fat macro. That is, when protein and calories are hit accurately, then fat macro takes care of itself. Literally. However, I have not found the true with carb macro. The carb macro, for me, requires planning to get it right daily (30%), especially if I undershoot the protein macro a little yet still get calorie count correct (1800 for me). 50% protein of an 1800 calorie diet is about 250 g. I have to shake supplement to hit that. Even if I hit the protein target and the calorie target, I still have to make sure not to go over more than the 30% carb. It is easy to do. Mfp helps track that balance, especially if I eat something different that is not on my usual daily food diet. Fat macro is off my radar because the foods I eat tend to magically hit 20%. Bonus for me not to care about fat macro.

Edited June 16, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

@cgj- low carb most definitely affects positive mood (for me). It must disrupt the dopamine receptor binding process. It might also be that I am naturally a moody person and eating "good" carbs corrects that to about a level spot (not in a positive mood nor in a negative mood). I have found that eating carbs will keep me fairly normal (I would rather be more positive all the time though), but exercise boosts my mood 1000% where I feel anything can get done and my anxious / depressed mental track shuts up, at least for the afterglow period of 1-2 hours. It is a bit of complex process and definitely points to an intrinsic imbalance in my hormones that control mood. Not saying carbs should be used to regulate that, but it helps a little. Again, nothing beats a good workout for getting into that ideal version of yourself (e.g. seen limitless?) where the world is your oyster.

Edited June 16, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

Good info. Everyone's body is different and I for one don't process carbs very well so I do limit them, otherwise I don't feel well, crave sugar and weight loss stops. It's good to hear what works for different people,though, because it gives people options to try and they can hopefully figure out what works for them since weight loss is not one size fits all.

I too stay away from the white stuff...flour, sugar, rice, potatoes...NOPE... don't need them, don't want them!

I think many people are confused about good versus bad carbs... but if we stay away from the truly bad carbs, for the most part, we should be ok...at least that's what works for me!

Interesting reading tho...very informative, thanks!

Has anyone read Dr David Perlmutter's 'Grain Brain' book? I haven't read it yet, but saw his info show on PBS last weekend and he had some interesting things to say.

The basic message is that we need healthy fats so shouldn't go for the extreme low fat diets, but that gluten is very harmful.

My experience is that although I feel much better when I don't eat bread, it's the food that I crave the most - which could be a sign of gluten intolerance or sensitivity.

I can see where carbs may factor in when you're already at maintenance and can have more calories and variety in a daily plan. But I've still got a ways to go to reach my goal, so I concentrate specifically on getting in my daily Protein first while still staying under my calorie limits. Doing this just leaves no room for anything else........I'll re-adjust to the whole balanced meals thingy when I reach goal.

Valid point of weight loss phase versus maintenance phase for WLS post op. Even more so, caloric loads of 1800-2200 range (for most guys, different for most gals) take time to reach. For me, I think 1800 has been my caloric load from about 1 year post op to now (2 years post op). And yes, I didn't eat as I say above per carbs until around 7 months post op which happened to coincide with reaching goal. So recycle, very good point.

Edited June 16, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

My theory above is most definitely about the weight loss phase as that is what I am currently on. It most likely will not work when I get to maintenance. I can already see maintenance is going to be a bit more tricky to stay on coarse and balance out my eating habits.

I am actually getting a bit concerned on how to raise my calorie intake without increasing my portion sizes. But I guess I will be a bit more concerned as I get closer.

I learned my lesson the hard way with carb intake. I too thought they were evil and steered clear of whole grain bread and whole grain pasta .....big NO NO! Two weeks out I started having episodes where I had a fading feeling, dizzy and sweaty. Turns out due to my NO CARB diet I became hypoglycemic. Wow and here I was worried about diabetes as it runs in my family. A glass of orange juice later I felt like me again. I now make sure I have a carb a day and have felt great. I was so concerned with getting in all of the protein and didn't pay attention to a balanced diet. Trial and error I guess but feeling great today 3 1/2 wks out

when I am having a hard day my dinner will start with protein but I have a medium bake potato with it instead of a vegetable. with my lapband a potato is a nice little slider but it is hot and puts something solid in my stomach so I am not hungry all night long. I use and don't everyone cringe but I use a pad of butter. it is usually the only fat I have had all day. but on the whole I eat protein first, vegetables second and if still hungry a carb. but my pouch only holds about a 1/2 cup of food so the carb doesn't usually play a part of my diet.

I'll play devil's advocate here. I think for many people, very low carb and high fat is an effective long term strategy that results not only in weight loss, but successful long term maintenance that is very sustainable. People are different, exercise regimes are different, some people are more insulin resistant than others.

I find that I do extremely well on very low carb. I do think that when carbs are increased they can cause a lot of people (especially heavy people who still have vestiges of metabolic syndrome or outright diabetes)who are early out from surgery) to lose less quickly than they might on a low carb or ketogenic diet.

People who exercise a lot use up a lot of carbs, no doubt. Those of us that don't exercise hard may find problems with even 80-100 grams of carbs a day. I do eat carbs, but my carbs generally come from vegetables, legumes, and dairy (ok, and the occasional tortilla chip or worse). Personally, I find carbs not very helpful in my diet. Do I demonize them? Yeah, I do. I wish I didn't eat them at all, because I still have an addiction to them and must always be careful about it.

Carbs ARE evil...well some of them. I cannot eat carbs-other than in natural form--veggies and fresh fruit. Bread-no-doesn't matter if it is the white goo bread or a whole grain. Rice-don't even go near it.

My body has been screwed up for so long that everything I eat effects my weight and mood.

I swear, I think I am the only person in the world that can lose weight eating 4 chicken wings and drinking a glass of red wine. LOL

I try to get the Protein up to 100 grams/day and keep the carbs/sugars low and the calories around 1300..then the stars, moon, and sun align themselves.

There must be a science to this, I just have not figured it all out yet.

Remember, you must do what works for you. there is no one magic formula.

There are 'good' carbs and 'bad' carbs (or 'evil' as you say). Bad carbs include sugar and simple carbs and have almost no nutritional value. They contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Eating simple carbs result in sluggishness and weight gain with very little benefit. Simple carbs are basically anything made w/white flour, white rice/rice flour, or enriched wheat flour (if something needs to be 'enriched' it's because they processed the hell out of it, stripping away any nutrients it might have had). Good carbs are complex carbs. They are recommended and desirable. They have soluble and insoluble Fiber, Protein, nutrients, and are more slowly digested resulting in a more steady energy supply and other health benefits. Good sources are whole grain breads, crackers, and cereals; brown rice; quinoa; Beans and legumes, etc.

A bariatric patient's dietary requirements for good health is protein first, vegetables second, and complex carbs last. It works. :-)